Modes of Operations

Concepts and Capabilities of the Animatics Product Range

Torque Mode:

Open Loop Directional control of power to the motor windings. In this mode, the motor has knowledge of encoder position but does not use it for motion. The motor will increase speed until its commanded torque equalizes with load torque. If Load torque decreases, shaft speed will increase. If load torque increases, shaft torque will decrease. In a static condition, force applied will be proportional to commanded torque.

Velocity Mode:

Closed Loop speed control based on Position over time, not frequency. This means that from the initial command to begin motion, the controller keeps track of what the actual position should be.

If load momentarily increases beyond limits of the motor, shaft speed will be slightly reduced. If the load decreases back to within the capabilities of the motor, the shaft speed will increase beyond commanded speed in order to catch up to where it should have been had a constant velocity been maintained.

Position Mode:

Closed Loop control based on encoder feedback. All position mode moves are classified as either relative or absolute mode. Relative Mode means the motor is commanded to move a set distance in either direction relative to where the shaft is at the time.

Absolute Mode means the motor is commanded to move to a specific location regardless of initial position.

Mode Step (Step and Direction Input):

The motor will follow a standard step and direction input signal. A ratio of internal encoder counts to incoming pulses may be used. The Step Input can also be used as a high speed counter.

Mode Follow (Electronic Gearing):

The Motor will follow a standard Quadrature incremental encoder bi-directionally. A ratio of internal encoder counts to external encoder counts may be used.

Phase Offset Adjust Move:

Phase offset moves may be incorporated to move a relative distance while in Mode Step or Mode Follow. This distance is based on internal encoder counts. Phase Offsets are essentially a Move over a Move in Relative Position Mode. They allow positional adjustment in either direction while actively following the external encoder or pulse train. This method may be used to align gantries as well as control tension in roller feed applications.

CAM Mode (Electronic Caming):

Similar to Mode Follow, the motor follows an external encoder. However, the motor moves to given points in a Cam table proportional to incoming external encoder counts. Electronic Caming can be thought of as a table of electronic gear ratios that change dynamically based on external encoder position as a point of reference. It is possible to create dwell points at the beginning or end of the Cam table to aid in easy cut-to-length applications.

Contouring Mode (Host Mode):

Contouring Mode allows for true multi-axis coordinated motion. Contouring Mode is typically used by CNC software packages to control multiple motors within a well defined path. Highly precise motion may be achieved with potentially no diminished capacity regardless of the number of motors being commanded to move.

It is ideal for any applications requiring Linear, Circular, Curve Linear or spline paths.

Note: Contouring Mode typically cannot be commanded from a PLC. It is best suited for PCs or embedded controllers.